It’s hard to believe that it’s been 2 years since I last played at Backwoods Fest. In 2014, I was thrilled to have Chris Wagoner and Mary Gaines noodle along behind me during my ukulele set. As exciting as that serendipitous rendezvous was for me, this year’s set was over the top. Not only did Chris and Mary play with me on every song, I was also blessed with the talents of Reid Johnston on tuba!

We also played a set of Reid’s songs, with me on bass. If my bass playing was unspectacular, I don’t think anyone noticed, as Reid regaled the campers with musical tales of drunken zoo animals, diaper changes, and smart-phone-induced hemorrhoids. Thankfully, we were able to have a rehearsal the week before and get somewhat familiar with the songs. My own performance was not highly polished, but (as you’ll see in some upcoming videos) my bandmates more than made up for my awkwardness.

Speaking of videos, I posted one from our set Facebook. It’s a Tom Waits cover, so Take a peek, before it get’s taken down for copyright violation or some such.

I would sincerely like to continue playing shows with this remarkable crew, and we will reconvene in July to plot a course for the future.

I’ll keep you posted.

Thine,

Bradley

Related show

Notes:Brad will be accompanied by Reid Johnston on tuba, Mary Gaines on cello, and Chris Wagoner on everything else. This is a semi-private event. Contact Brad if you’re in the area and would like to attend!

I was pleased to see my name in the “historic and guest drivers” list in the credits of the latest Getaway Drivers disc. It wasn’t long after I shared my joy on Instagram that I got a message from the band, requesting my guitar-playing services for their performance at this year’s prestigious Wurst Times Fest.

Of course I promptly agreed to hit the stage again with my old buds. Then the dread kicked in: I’ll need to re-learn the old songs, plus figure out how to play a trunk-full of their new ones. And I can’t find my cheat sheets from last time.

I know what you are thinking. There is plenty of time before the gig. The Drivers are a nice bunch, and will put up with my fumbling those G6 chords. For a while. And I am not so terrible a guitar player, after all.

I know all that, friends.

So why does it still seem like I’m going in to take my driver’s test again?

At a Whittler show, I only get to sing lead on one song: Jarnegan (at least that’s its official title – it’s known to Whittlerians as “Honey Wagon” or “Nuts in a Spreader,” but that’s a story for another time). Even though it’s my only vocal, and I have sung it many times, and I wrote the damn thing, I sometimes forget the words. Or at least the first word – if you give me that, I’m fine. I’m usually fairly good at remembering my own lyrics, but Whittler shows (especially in Chicago) involve gallons of beer.

To aid my dampened memory, my buddy Miguel consented to inscribing my forearms with the first word of each verse – “beast” and “terminal,” respectively. To make it more badass, I decided to use the Kanji symbol for “beast” and the electronic symbol for “ground,” which is close enough for me to “terminal.”

Jarnegan

Beast in the road
Head for the county line
I got a modified engine
And a mail-order bride

This baby stops on a dime
She ain’t got no brake lights
Stay out of my dreams, motherfucker!

This baby stops on a dime
You better turn on your night light
Stay out of my dreams, motherfucker!

This jaunt to the Windy City had an additional purpose: to celebrate a milestone birthday of Ingenious Whittler co-founder Jeff Christian. I love Jeff, and never more than when he is buying the beer. In this case, a few kegs of Daisy Cutter Pale Ale, which is brewed just down the street from the Brownstone Tavern, where we were playing.

It was fine to have the original band back together in Irving Park, where we played our first gigs as Ingenious Whittler nearly fifteen years ago at such storied venues as the Lyon’s Den and Beat Kitchen. It was pleasing to note that our fury had not abated in the intervening years – though are guitars are in better tune these days.

I hope you will allow me a moment to pay tribute to my bandmates of these many years. Fellowship with these animules is about as good as as it gets, and I’ve learned a lot from them.

Joe Sweeney – the most lovable curmudgeon to ever wield a four-string Fender. His heart is solid gold.

Pete Dally – a master songsmith and possessor of the voice that still makes the ladies swoon.

Eric Nelson – the soul of Whittler’s wit, and keeper of the beat that we all need to lean on. A keeper.

Jeff Christian – the upright monkey. Our Oberon, Falstaff, and Lear all in one, in a cowboy hat.

I had been documenting the evening’s events on a cheap video recorder. If I can ever untangle and assemble the miles of virtual film, it will be made available to the world. After reviewing some of the footage from this landmark performance, one thing is certain: Ingenious Whittler can still, in the immortal words of Eric Nelson, “give ‘er the groceries!”

It had been a long, hard Wednesday. I was yawning at nine. But instead of heading up to bed, I pressed up a cup of joe and toted my guitar down to the Alchemy. My friend Greg was hosting the open mic night. He had a new sound system to try out, and I had a brand new song to play.

The song? It was a number that had been percolating for several months. It started out as one line, sung over and over. Since that line was actually the title of someone else’s song, it took a while for the real song to sift up from the muck. Once I had the title, it was just a matter of time before the rest of “I Had the Strangest Dream” trickled out:

We finally made it up that hill
The paychecks caught up with the bills
It’s got so we can almost breathe

Got them taxes figured out
Looks like we can keep the house
And even live within our means

I had the strangest dream
I had the strangest dream
I had the strangest dream

Got no more habits left to kick
Gone seven months without a drink
Never thought I’d feel so clean

Paleo as I can be
I’m nicotine and gluten free
I can even fit into these jeans

I had the strangest dream…

And I don’t know
Why I even wake up any more

I had the strangest dream…

Made up with my ex-best-friend
I’m talking to my dad again
This heart may begin to heal

Straightened things out with the wife
The kids come home at Christmas time
Might finally find some peace

I had the strangest dream…

Strange as it seems
Maybe these dreams
Are in my reach

Strange as it seems
Maybe these dreams
Are in our reach

I know. I had to put in a glimmer of hope at the end. Again. That’s just to keep me going, though. It ain’t for you.

I’ve been a fan of Chris Wagoner and Mary Gaines for ages, starting from the first time I saw Chris singing and fiddling for Harmonious Wail over 20 years ago. In the intervening years, they’ve played with Common Faces, Moon Gypsies, and amassed a long, impressive list of sessions with local, national, and international artists. So when I saw them play at Backwoods Fest with the Ray Johnson Band a few years ago, I started fantasizing about them playing with me.

As I sat in my living room writing out a ukulele set list for this year’s Backwoods Fest, I again dreamed about having Chris and Mary accompany me. There were a few songs on my list that I’d heard them play before – jive stuff by Louis Jordan and Nat King Cole that they could probably play while getting a root canal. Would my heroes be there? Would they play?

Yes, I’m aware that a logical person would simply call them up and ask, but I have this maddening habit of wishing things would work out the way I want them to – without actually doing anything to help them along. What a dope. But I was also aware of the informal nature of Backwoods – anyone on stage may find themselves being accompanied (for better or worse) by other musicians.

This year, I arrived on Saturday afternoon, pleased that it hadn’t started raining yet (rain is one of the most consistent of Backwoods attendees). After applying the bug spray and hugging several of old friends, I picked up my guitar and ukulele and made my way to the stage to find out who would be playing next.

Almost exactly as I had imagined it, Chris and Mary appeared and began unpacking their instruments just as I took the stage. Would they get set up before I was finished with my set? More importantly, would they play?

It was Mary’s cello that I heard first, laying down a bass line for Straighten Up and Fly Right. I was over the moon. After the second verse, I turned and gave her a nod, stepping away from the mic as she took a solo. I was giddy. After another song or two with Mary, Chris had finished plugging in his pedals and tuning his various instruments. Finishing out the set with both of them playing behind me on songs by Stevie Wonder, Hank Williams, and Mikey Dread was an experience I will never forget. Thankfully, my friend Reid Johnston (leader of the fabulous Ray Johnson Band) shot a few minutes of my set on his phone. You can hear Mary join in towards the end.

When Chris and Mary went to get some food, I switched to guitar and played another set. I was still giddy.